Bangladesh Bank imposes new dress code for employees

Bangladesh Bank

Dhaka, July 23 – Bangladesh Bank, the central bank of Bangladesh, has introduced a new dress code for its employees, imposing various restrictions on attire, particularly for female staff.

The new guidelines, issued on Monday by the Human Resources Department-2, prohibit short-sleeve and short-length dresses, as well as leggings for women.

The directive outlines specific attire requirements for both male and female employees and warns that non-compliance will be considered a breach of discipline.

Details of the New Dress Code:

For Male Employees:The new code mandates formal shirts (long or half-sleeve) and formal trousers, paired with formal sandals or shoes. Jeans and gabardine pants are explicitly prohibited.

For Female Employees: Female officers and employees are instructed to wear sarees, salwar-kameez with oṛna, or other professional and modest attire. These garments must be simple and in professional colors. Formal sandals or shoes, along with simple headscarves or hijabs, are permitted. Crucially, short-sleeve and short-length dresses, as well as leggings, are now forbidden.

Additional Directives on Conduct and Environment: Beyond attire, the new regulations, listed under point 11, also address employee conduct and workplace environment:

Treatment of Female Employees (11a): The directive reiterates adherence to Section 39 of the Bangladesh Bank Staff Regulation, 2003, regarding the treatment of female employees. Complaints related to sexual harassment must be reported to the committee formed under a specific circular from Human Resources Department-1 within 30 working days of the incident.

Social Media Usage (11b): Employees are reminded to strictly follow the office directives from Human Resources Department-2 concerning social media usage.

Positive Work Environment (11c): To foster a positive work environment, the guidelines emphasize maintaining official etiquette and codes of conduct, including integrity, ethics, punctuality, discipline, diligence in fulfilling assigned duties, respectful behavior towards colleagues, and cordial relations (mutual respect, courtesy, and cooperative attitude).

Enforcement and Accountability

Under point 12 of the adopted decisions, each office, department, project, cell, or unit will designate an officer to oversee the implementation of these directives. This appointed officer will monitor compliance. Any deviations are to be reported to the departmental head, who will then forward a complaint regarding the breach of instructions and discipline against the concerned employee. - UNB